Smelting fttbnace



Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,343

J. A. LANIGAN SMELTING FURNACE Filed Allg. 15,1192? 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 28,. 1928. 1,682,343

J. A. LANIGAN SMELTING FURNACE Filed Aug. 15 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FmF-a FIG. 5

Patented Aug. 2,8, 1928.

J' AMES A.. LA NIGAN, 0F GIN CIN N ATI, OHIO.

SMELTING FURNACE.

Application filed August 15, 1927. Serial No. 212,891.

This invention is especially designed with an object in View of producing a furnace which is to melt ferrous and nonferrous metals, and in which mixing and refining withinA the furnace may be accomplished while it is in continuous operation.

A further object is to produce a furnace in which fuel oil, gas, pulverized coal, pitch, oil refinery residue or other liquid or pulverized fuel may be used for heating purposes, lvitlout the use of coke or other solid or lump An additional object is to produce a fur- -nace in which the cupola is employed for charging the furnace only with the raw material to be melted, mixed, refined 'and the like, without utilizing it as is usual in supplying fuel in the form of coke thereto.

These and other objects are attained in the furnace described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which; f

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the furnace I have invented. i

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the furnace shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa transverse sectional view taken on the line 3A-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1. y

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

The furnace I have devised is of right angular shape in that it consists of a lower part 6 which is horizontal and an upper part 7 which is vertical. .The par-t 6 is used as the main combustion, refining, mixing and melting part of the furnace, while the part 7 is used as the charging, raw mixing and preliminary heatingfchamber.

One feature of novelty of my improved furnace is that the melting does not take place in the vertical part of the furnace but in the zone forming the throat 8 between the horizontal and vertical portions. The vertical portion 7 is provided with a charging door A9 at its upper end, while its lower end has a bottom 10 which slopes toward the horizontal portion in order to direct the descending metal toward the melting zone 8. Above this bottom a row of small tuyres are located at suitably spaced intervals in the cupola wall. The purpose of these tuyres is to burn the escaping gases as close tothe melting zone as possible and at the same time be far enough aboveit to avoid the entrance offree oxygen to it, thus utilizing as far as lpossible the full value of the heat units in the fuel. These tuyeres are supplied from a header 12 connected with a main air line 13 over thehorizontal portion 6.

The horizontal portion 6 of the furnace is of the open hearth type, 'generally speaking.

-However, the furnace herein described has two hearths which are preferably of different capacities. The smaller hearth 14 is located just beneath the melting zone 8 and serves to collect the metal as it is melted. Separating this hearth from the melting zone where the liquefaction is taking place, is a low strainer-like wall 15 which holds the unmelted metal back while the melted metal is allowed to run through into the hearth 14. The larger hearth 16 is separated from the smaller hearth by a biidge wall 17. However, avrunner or gate 18 connects the two hearths through the bridge wall, the opening and closing thereof being performed by a suitable core plug manipulated from an opening 19 in the furnace side wall. The smaller hearth has a tapping hole 20 in one of its side walls so that the metal may be taken away, a suitably located spout 21 being provided for the purpose. v

The larger hearth has an opening 22 in one side, with a tapping hole 23 located in the opposite wall and 1s provided with a spout 24. y

From the air line 13 two manifolds 25 and' 26 are. led off. These are located so as to supply the respective hearths 14 and 16 with air, blast pipes 27 leading from manifold 25 through the arched roof of hearth 14 to dis'- charge directly over the hearth, while blast pipes 28 lead through the arched roof of hearth 16 toA discharge directly over the hearthf At the mouth 29 of the furnace, the burners 30 are located for directing their diverging blast slightly downwardly and drectly toward and over hearth 16, while auxiliary burners13'1 in the roof ofthe furnace front of the melting zone. The air through' each group of pipes 27 and 28 as wellas the tuyeres'll, is controlled by 'suitably posi.-

tioned gates 32,433 and 34 respectively, agate f 35 serving to shut the air line entirely. ,Among the several advantages of my improved furnace may be mentioned the connace 4may be operated and the increased strength of the metal produced from the furnace due to the ease by which the metaloids may be manipulated and controlled While continuous melting is under Way.

A use to which 'my 'improved furnace may be put is vthat of melting up bronze scrap and allowing it to accumulate in hearth 14 and .then by stoking out the core in gate 18 allowing the bronze to run into the larger hearth 16. Then by plugging the gate 18, brass scrap or chunks may be run into hearth 14. Thus ythe metal contained in hearth 16 may be treated as desired.

Such treating of the metal in hearth 16 'and the treatment of such metal in its own hearth is a decided advantage and especially so, if this may be done at one time, in the same furnace by the use of scrap orchunks of accumulated metal.

Especially is this so and of advantage for smelters of Junk metals and for founders runr ning analogous metals to be poured in molds or ingots or castings for dierent periods of the day, by pouring heats of quick melting metals in the early hours of the dayand the Having thus described my inventionbvhat I claim is:

A smelting furnace comprising a structure of right angular shape consisting of a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, said horizontal portion containinv hearths,` said vertical portion containing t e cupola, said cupola containing a fuel door above the bottom'thereof and tuyeres in its wall between the fuel door and the bottom, the bottom of the cupola sloping toward the horizontal hearth portion, a source of heat directed over the hearths from the end of the horizontal portion farthest from the cupola, and a\ source of heat directed over the region at the juncture of the horizontal and vertical portions, tuyeres directed over the. hearths and slower melting metals in later hours of the servation of fuel, the ease with which the furd i a strainer like wall affording communication between the cupola and the hearth portion. In witness whereof, I affix my Signature.

JAMES A. Lauream 

